Journeying through the multiverse of Latin representations in media, butchered “Spanglish” and drug dealing novelas reign supreme. The production of Latin storylines that center women exempt of “fiesty” stereotypes are a rare find, leading SDA’s most recent play “Broken Shells” to emerge as a unicorn of relatability.
Presenting playful Spanish banter and aspects of toxic, yet loving motherly tendencies, the dramedy grips the heartstrings of audiences. With a focus on female direction, writing and casting to confront hereditary cycles of abuse, “Broken Shells” debuted as the perfect start to Women’s History Month.
The play ran at USC’s Scene Dock Theatre from March 1-3. Written by MFA Dramatic Writing student Cynthia Galaz Sotelo, the performance was part of SDA’s New Works Festival, a showcase of the school’s graduating student material.
“Broken Shells” is a tale of Latin American generational abuse blanketed in a warm home in 80′s Loma Dorada, Guanajuato Mexico. The play surrounds four teenage girls who struggle being raised by their abusive single mother Alma, a strongly religious woman who bears down strict restrictions on the perils of men and exploring the outside world. Juggling laughing and crying, with Smurf punchlines (the blue mythical characters are used as an ongoing motif for the seven deadly sins), “Broken Shells” paints an intimate portrait of female relationships in a Latin household.
The play is led by curious 15-year-old Valentina, rotationally portrayed by USC senior Genevieve Hercules and freshman Marisabella Díaz, both of whom are majoring in theatre. As Valentina navigates cycles of emotional and physical abuse at the hands of her mother, she retreats into the solace of imaginary figures and her beloved pet crabs.
“When I first read the play, it was kind of scary how much it mirrored a lot of my experiences as a child. I just related a lot to Vale’s [Valentina’s] innocence and kind of isolation and feeling that loneliness and kind of escaping within yourself to try to compensate for the lack of [outside] exploration,” Hercules said.
Themes of girlhood and innocence shift starkly to terror, never knowing when a lighthearted scene will tragically end with Alma’s raised voice.
“One of the main things we discussed in rehearsals was ‘How can we try to show these cycles of generational trauma and how they should be broken in a sense,’ said the actress portraying Alma, theatre major and sophomore Honey Robinson.
Playwright Sotelo explores popular themes of overbearing religious duties and undying loyalties central to many Latin households. The play serves as a touchstone to the tug of war that emerges when one attempts to balance familial kinship while simultaneously enduring abuse at their hands.
But Alma’s dictatorship over the household is not one dimensional, as the background of her absent ex-husband and medical conditions gradually unfolds. Robinson pensively displays how the abuse from Alma’s own mother resulted in the regurgitation of problematic behavior towards her daughters.
“One of the most beautiful things that I was told after someone watched the play was that they were hurt by it, and they related to Vale [Valentina], but they saw why I did what I did, and they gained a sense of empathy for my character,” Robinson said. “I know that the actions may not have been pleasant for anyone to watch or experience, but kind of just understanding her and seeing her as a human being first was my goal.”
Drawing on a diaspora of Latin cast members, “Broken Shells” also shines with Spanish dialogue that authentically connects with audiences. Sotelo and director Denise Blasor emphasize pronunciations to “keep the Spanish language’s beautiful color, poetry and folklore.”
“It’s funny because there are just some jokes you would not get if you didn’t speak Spanish. And I think that’s a beautiful thing because every time that there was a joke and a spot where people would laugh, I’d be like, ‘See, they get it!’” Robinson said.
Hercules said she bonded with her cast due to their similar backgrounds, aspects of which came to manifest in the play itself.
“One of us is from Puerto Rico, one of us has family in El Salvador, some of us have family in Guatemala – our families come from different places but [...] even though we’re all different, the fact that we’re all Latino [and] we all have similar experiences bonded us.”
The four daughter’s loyalty to each other allows them to find strength through their communal abuse. Concluding with an embrace between the cast, the family’s bond remains strong in their fight to reconcile their tumultuous relationship.
“It was amazing to see the powerhouse of women that were around us and the voices that were being amplified. It was an honor [...] to be surrounded by so many powerful talented women, and it definitely motivated me in a creative way to really go out there and give it my absolute best” Robinson said.